This Application claims priority to Canadian Application Serial No. 2304292 filed Mar. 31, 2000.
[Not Applicable]
Venous blood returns to the heart from the muscles and organs depleted of oxygen (O2) and full of carbon dioxide (CO2). Blood from various parts of the body is mixed in the heart (mixed venous blood) and pumped to the lungs. In the lungs the blood vessels break up into a net of small vessels surrounding tiny lung sacs (alveoli). The net sum of vessels surrounding the alveoli provides a large surface area for the exchange of gases by diffusion along their concentration gradients. A concentration gradient exists between the partial pressure of CO2 (PCO2) in the mixed venous blood (PvCO2) and the alveolar PCO2. The CO2 diffuses into the alveoli from the mixed venous blood from the beginning of inspiration until an equilibrium is reached between the PvCO2 and the alveolar PCO2 at some time during the breath. When the subject exhales, the first gas that is exhaled comes from the trachea and major bronchi which do not allow gas exchange and therefore will have a gas composition similar to the inhaled gas. The gas at the end of this exhalation is considered to have come from the alveoli and reflects the equilibrium CO2 concentration between the capillaries and the alveoli; the PCO2 in this gas is called end-tidal PCO2 (PetCO2).
When the blood passes the alveoli and is pumped by the heart to the arteries it is known as the arterial PCO2 (PaCO2). The arterial blood has a PCO2 equal to the PCO2 at equilibrium between the capillaries and the alveoli. With each breath some CO2 is eliminated from the lung and fresh air containing little or no CO2 (CO2 concentration is assumed to be 0) is inhaled and dilutes the residual alveolar PCO2, establishing a new gradient for CO2 to diffuse out of the mixed venous blood into the alveoli. The rate of breathing, or ventilation (V), usually expressed in L/min, is exactly that required to eliminate the CO2 brought to the lungs and maintain an equilibrium PCO2 (and PaCO2) of approximately 40 mmHg (in normal humans). When one produces more CO2 (e.g., as a result of fever or exercise), more CO2 is produced and carried to the lungs. One then has to breathe harder (hyperventilate) to wash out the extra CO2 from the alveoli, and thus maintain the same equilibrium PaCO2. But if the CO2 production stays normal, and one hyperventilates, then the PaCO2 falls. Conversely, if CO2 production stays constant and ventilation falls, arterial PCO2 rises.
It is important to note that not all V contributes to blowing off CO2. Some V goes to the air passages (trachea and major bronchi) and alveoli with little blood perfusing them, and thus doesn""t contribute to blowing off CO2. This V is termed xe2x80x9cdead spacexe2x80x9d ventilation and gas in the lung that has not participated in gas exchange with the blood is called xe2x80x9cdead spacexe2x80x9d gas. That portion of V that goes to well perfused alveoli and participates in gas exchange is called the alveolar ventilation (VA) and exhaled gas that had participated in gas exchange in the alveoli is termed xe2x80x9calveolar gasxe2x80x9d.
Referring to the PCT Application No. WO98/41266 filed by Joe Fisher (WO98/41266), there is taught a method of accelerating the resuscitation of a patient having been anaesthetized by providing the patient with a source of fresh gas and a source of reserve gas. When the patient breathes at a rate less than or equal to the fresh gas flowing into the circuit, all of the inhaled gas is made up of fresh gas. When the patient""s minute ventilation exceeds the fresh gas flow, the inhaled gas is made up of all of the fresh gas and the additional gas is provided by xe2x80x9creserve gasxe2x80x9d consisting of a composition similar to the fresh gas plus CO2 such that the concentration of CO2 in the reserve gas of about 6% is such that its partial pressure is equal to the partial pressure of CO2 in the mixed venous blood. At no time while using this method will the patient rebreathe gas containing anaesthetic. In order to accelerate the resuscitation of the patient, a source of fresh gas is provided for normal levels of minute ventilation, typically 5 L per minute and a supply of reserve gas is provided for levels of ventilation above 5 L per minute wherein the source of reserve gas includes approximately 6% carbon dioxide having a PCO2 level substantially equal to that of mixed venous blood. It has been found that this method and various circuits and processes for implementing the method are advantageous not only for resuscitating individuals from surgery, but also to deal with carbon monoxide poisoning or the like as taught in the application. By allowing increased ventilation yet maintaining the PCO2 level substantially equal to that prior to the increased ventilation, it has been found that in utilizing the method, maximum benefits of gas elimination are achieved without changing the CO2 levels in the patient. However, one limitation is that a source of reserve gas and its delivery apparatus must be supplied to pursue the method and that the reserve gas must be at about 6% CO2 concentration substantially having a PCO2 equal to that of mixed venous blood or about 46 mmHg.
To simplify the circuit taught by Fisher (WO98/41266), the reserve gas can be replaced by previously exhaled gas. The gas at the end of exhalation has substantially equilibrated with mixed venous gas and thus has a PCO2 substantially equal to it. However, if rebreathed gas is used instead of separately constituted reserve gas to prevent the decrease in PCO2 with increased ventilation, the anesthetic and CO will also be rebreathed and their elimination will not be enhanced. There are other applications for a circuit that maintains PCO2 constant with increased ventilation which are not invalidated by using exhaled gas as the reserved gas which are listed hereinafter.
Discussion of Prior Art Circuits Used for Rebreathing
Prior art circuits used to prevent decreased in PCO2 resulting from increased ventilation, by means of rebreathing of previously exhaled gas are described according to the location of the fresh gas inlet, reservoir and pressure relief valve with respect to the patient. They have been classified by Mapleson and are described in Dorsch and Dorsch pg 168.
1. Maintenance of constant CO2 with increased minute ventilation.
Mapleson A
The circuit comprises a pressure relief valve nearest the patient, a tubular reservoir and fresh gas inlet distal to the patient. In this circuit, on expiration, dead space gas is retained in the circuit, and after the reservoir becomes full, alveolar gas is lost through the relief valve. Dead space gas is therefore preferentially rebreathed. Dead space gas has a PCO2 much less than mixed venous PCO2. This is less effective in maintaining PCO2 than rebreathing alveolar gas, as occurs with the circuit of the present invention.
Mapleson B, C
The circuit includes a relief valve nearest the patient, and a reservoir with a fresh gas inlet at the near patient port. As with Mapleson A, dead space gas is preferentially rebreathed when minute ventilation exceeds fresh gas flow. In addition, if minute ventilation is temporarily less than fresh gas flow, fresh gas is lost from the circuit due to the proximity of the fresh gas inlet to the relief valve. Under these conditions, when ventilation once again increases there is no compensation for transient decrease in ventilation as the loss of fresh gas will prevent a compensatory decrease in PCO2.
With the present invention circuit, when minute ventilation temporarily is less than fresh gas flow, no fresh gas is lost from the circuit. Instead, the reservoir acts as a buffer, storing the extra fresh gas, and when ventilation increases once more, breathing the accumulated fresh gas allows PCO2 to return to the previous level.
Mapleson D and E
Mapleson D consists of a circuit where fresh gas flow enters near the patient port, and gas exits from a pressure relief valve separated from the patient port by a length of reservoir tubing. Mapleson E is similar except it has no pressure relief valve allowing the gas to simply exit from an opening in the reservoir tubing. In both circuits, fresh gas is lost without being first breathed. The volume of gas lost without being breathed at a given fresh gas flow is dependent on the minute ventilation such that only at infinite ventilation is all the fresh gas used for alveolar ventilation. Thus the alveolar ventilation and the PCO2 level are also dependent on the minute ventilation. Fresh gas is lost because during expiration, fresh gas mixes with expired gas and escapes with it from the exit port of the circuit. Furthermore, the amount of fresh gas lost is a function of expiratory time, and hence by changing the pattern of breathing, one can increase or decrease the proportion of fresh gas breathed. With our circuit, all of the fresh gas is breathed by the subject.
Circle anaesthetic circuit with CO2 absorber removed.
There are many different possible configurations of fresh gas inlet, relief valve, reservoir bag and CO2 absorber (see Dorsch and Dorsch, pg. 205-207). In all configurations, a mixture of expired gases enters the reservoir bag, and therefore rebreathed gas consists of combined dead space gas and alveolar gas. This is less efficient in maintaining PCO2 constant than rebreathing alveolar gas preferentially as occurs with our circuit, especially at small increments of V above the fresh gas flow.
Circuit previously described by Fisher (WO98/41266)
Fisher (WO98/41266) has previously described a circuit that maintains PCO2 independent of minute ventilation. Instead of making up the difference between fresh gas flow and minute ventilation with gas expired from a previous breath, Fisher (WO98/41266) requires an external source of CO2. The circuit of the present invention exploits the same principle in maintaining PCO2 constant, however it uses the patient""s own previously expired CO2 instead of externally provided CO2. Thus the circuit is must less expensive to operate, more compact and portable and thus would be more practical for applications where the maintenance of CO2 is desired but the elimination of other gases such as anesthetics and carbon monoxide is not required.
2. Changes in CO2 or other gas
For other applications such as a) maintaining a constant PCO2 or instituting two or more levels of arterial PCO2 during nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, b) raising PCO2 i) during pregnancy to improve placental blood flow, ii) to prevent shivering, iii) to increase tissue perfusion, and iv) protect tissues from oxidative damage, preventing rebreathing of exhaled gases is not necessary.
However, it would therefore be advantageous to reap the benefits of controlling the PCO2 at a constant level and not having to incur the expense of supplying reserve gas. It has been determined that traumatized patients may be assisted in certain circumstances by maintaining the PCO2 level substantially constant or increased. It has also been determined that various diagnostic procedures can be enhanced by pursuing the same. This heretofore was not contemplated in the prior art nor in the prior disclosure of Joseph Fisher (WO98/41266) discussed above.
It is therefore a primary objective of the present invention to provide a simplified method of controlling PCO2 at a predetermined desired level. It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a simplified method of changing the PCO2 of a patient by changing the fresh gas flow in the circuit.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a circuit to affect the method that prevents loss of fresh gas and that ensures that a patient breathing at a rate greater than the fresh gas flow receives all the fresh gas independent of the rate of pattern of breathing.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a breathing circuit that prevents rebreathing unless the minute ventilation exceeds the fresh gas flow.
It is yet a further objective of the present invention to provide a circuit where alveolar gas is rebreathed in preference to dead space gas.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an improved breathing circuit to be used to assist patients who have been traumatized or run the risk of being traumatized, or alternatively to enhance the results of diagnostic procedures, or the benefits of medical procedures.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods of treatment using the said circuit and the use of the said circuit to assist patients who have been traumatized or run the risk of being traumatized or alternatively to enhance the results of diagnostic procedures, or the benefits of medical procedures.
Further and other objectives of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when considering the following summary of the invention and the more detailed description of the preferred embodiments illustrated therein.
According to a primary aspect of the invention there is provided a method of controlling PCO2 in a patient at a predetermined desired level(s) comprising a breathing circuit which is capable of organizing exhaled gas so as to be preferentially inhaled during rebreathing when necessary by providing alveolar gas for rebreathing in preference to dead space gas. The preferred circuit in effecting the above-mentioned method includes a breathing port for inhaling and exhaling gas; a bifurcated conduit adjacent said port; preferably being substantially Y-shaped, and including a first and second conduit branch, with the first conduit branch including a fresh gas inlet, preferably oxygen, and a check valve disposed proximate the port. The check valve allows the passage of inhaled fresh gas to the port but closes during exhalation. The second conduit includes a check valve which allows passage of exhaled gas through the check valve but prevents flow back to the breathing port once the gas passes through the check valve. The first conduit branch has located proximate the terminus thereof, a fresh gas reservoir of predetermined size and preferably a flexible bag. The second conduit branch has located proximate the terminus thereof, an exhaled gas reservoir, preferably being a rigid tube having an open end and being preferably approximately 3 L in capacity. The terminus of said first and second conduit branches have extending there between an interconnecting conduit and has a check valve located therein. When minute ventilation for the patient is equal to the fresh gas flow, for example 5 liters/minute, fresh gas enters the breathing port from the first conduit branch at a predetermined rate and preferably 5 L per minute and is exhaled through the second conduit branch at a rate of preferably 5 L per minute; wherein the exhaled gas travels down the exhaled gas reservoir which preferentially provides that dead space gas be disposed nearest the open end of the reservoir and that alveolar gas would be located proximate the end of the reservoir nearest the terminus of the second conduit branch. When it is desirable for the minute ventilation to exceed the fresh gas flow, for example 5 L per minute, the patient will inhale expired gas retained in the expired gas reservoir which will pass through the check valve in the interconnecting conduit at a rate making up the shortfall in the fresh gas flow of, for example, 5 L per minute, wherein the shortfall differential is made up of rebreathed gas of which alveolar gas is preferentially rebreathed, thereby preventing a change in the PCO2 level of alveolar gas despite the increased minute ventilation.
When setting the fresh gas flow to maintain a desired PCO2 it is important that the fresh gas reservoir be allowed to first be depleted of gas until it just empties at the end of the inhalation cycle. In this way once it is desired to increase the minute ventilation, a slight negative pressure will exist in the interconnecting conduit during inhalation, opening its check valve and allowing further breathing gas beyond the normal level of ventilation to be supplied by previously exhaled gas.
There are many uses for this particular circuit which will be described hereinafter. There may be situations which exist when treating a patient wherein it is desirable to prevent hypocapnia in the patient. For example, in the case of a pregnant woman having great anxiety due to the pain during delivery, it is desirable not to have her hyperventilate so as to contract the blood vessels in the placenta causing potential insufficient blood flow to the baby. By using the above-mentioned circuit during labor, this can be avoided. It also may be advantageous to induce hypercapnea during diagnostic procedures to enhance the diagnostic procedure or alternatively when a patient undergoes treatment as in treatment with ionizing radiation, to increase the sensitivity of tissue to the treatment. This, for example, would occur during radiation treatment for cancerous cells.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of enhancing the results of a diagnostic procedure or medical treatment comprising the steps of:
providing a circuit which is capable of organizing exhaled gas so as to provide to the patient preferential rebreathing of alveolar gas in preference to dead space gas (for example the circuit described above), when the patient is ventilating at a rate greater than the fresh gas flow, and when inducing hypercapnea is desired, by decreasing the fresh gas flow and passively providing a corresponding increase in rebreathed gas so as to prevent the PCO2 level of arterial blood from dropping despite increases in minute ventilation;
continuing inducing hypercapnia until such time as the diagnostic or medical procedure is completed, wherein the results of said diagnostic or medical procedure are enhanced by carrying out the method in relation to the results of the procedure had the method not been carried out. Examples of such procedures would be MRI or radiation treatments or the like.
A method of treating or assisting a patient, preferably human, during a traumatic event characterized by hyperventilation comprising the steps of:
providing a circuit in which alveolar ventilation is equal to the fresh gas flow and increases in alveolar ventilation with increases in minute ventilation is prevented by a circuit (for example the preferred circuit described above) which is capable of organizing exhaled gas so as to provide to the patient preferential rebreathing alveolar gas in preference to dead space gas;
following ventilating the patient at a rate of normal minute ventilation, preferably approximately 5 L per minute, and when desired inducing hypercapnea so as to increase arterial PCO2 and prevent the PCO2 level of arterial blood from subsequently dropping below that achieved as a result of decreasing the fresh gas flow;
continuing maintaining normocapnia despite the ventilation at an increased rate until such time as the traumatic event and concomitant hyperventilation is completed, wherein the effects of hyperventilation experienced during the traumatic event are minimized, for example, the mother during labor becoming light headed or the baby during the delivery also being effected with the oxygen delivery to its brain being decreased as a result of contraction of the blood vessels in the placenta and fetal brain.
A list of circumstances in which the method enhancing the diagnostic procedure results or the experience of the traumatic event are listed below.
Applications of this method and circuit:
1. Maintenance of constant PCO2 and inducing changes in PCO2 during MRI;
2. Inducing and/or maintaining increased PCO2 
a) to prevent or treat shivering and tremors during labor, post-anesthesia, hypothermia, and certain other pathological states;
b) to treat fetal distress due to asphyxia;
c) to induce cerebral vasodilatation, prevent cerebral vasospasm, and provide cerebral protection following subarachnoid hemorrhage, cerebral trauma and other pathological states;
d) to increase tissue perfusion in tissues containing cancerous cells to increase their sensitivity to ionizing radiation and delivery of chemotherapeutic agents;
e) to aid in radiodiagnostic procedures by providing contrast between tissues with normal and abnormal vascular response;
f) protection of various organs such as the lung, kidney and brain during states of multi-organ failure.
3. Prevention of hypocapnia with O2 therapy, especially in pregnant patients.
4. Other applications where O2 therapy is desired and it is important to prevent the accompanying drop in PCO2.
It has been found in carrying out the above-mentioned method and preferably with the preferred circuit described that by maintaining a constant PCO2 level and inducing changes in PCO2 during a diagnostic procedure such as an MRI, better quality pictures can be obtained. It is therefore provided, according to another aspect of the invention, that an improved method of creating MRI images is disclosed by following the above-mentioned method and particularly comprising the steps of maintaining a constant PCO2 and inducing changes in that PCO2 level during the MRI procedure in order to facilitate improvement in the quality of the pictures being taken. The method for inducing the changes in the PCO2 include preferably using the above-mentioned circuit or any circuit known in the prior art and described in the background of the invention which might provide a substantial part or most of the benefits described herein. For example, the Mapleson D and E circuits predictably may work as might a standard circle circuit with the carbon dioxide filter by-passed or removed; however fresh gas will be wasted and the efficiency would be reduced.
When minute ventilation is greater than or equal to fresh gas flow, the above-mentioned preferred circuit prevents loss of fresh gas and ensures that the patient receives all the fresh gas independent of the pattern of breathing since fresh gas alone enters the fresh gas reservoir, and exhaled gas enters its own separate reservoir. The fresh gas reservoir bag is large enough to store fresh gas for 5-10 seconds or more of reduced ventilation or total apnea, ensuring that even under these circumstances fresh gas will not be lost. The preferred circuit prevents rebreathing at a minute ventilation equal to the fresh gas flow because the check valve in the interconnecting conduit does not open to allow rebreathing of previously exhaled gas unless a negative pressure exists on the inspiratory side of the conduit of the circuit. Also, when minute ventilation exceeds the fresh gas flow, a negative pressure occurs in the inspiratory conduit, opening the conduit""s check valve. The circuit provides that after the check valve opens, alveolar gas is rebreathed in preference to dead space gas because the interconnecting conduit is located such that exhaled alveolar gas will be closest to it and dead space gas will be furthest from it. The exhaled gas reservoir is preferably sized at 3 L which is well in excess of the volume of an individual""s breath, therefore it is unlikely that the patient shall be able to breathe any room air entering via the opening at the end of the exhaled gas reservoir.
The basic approach of preventing a decrease in PCO2 with increased ventilation is similar as that taught by Fisher (WO98/41266). In brief, only breathing the fresh gas contributes to alveolar ventilation (VA) which establishes a gradient for CO2 elimination. All gas breathed in excess of the fresh gas entering the circuit, or the fresh gas flow, is rebreathed gas. Fisher (WO98/41266) has in his prior application taught that the closer the partial pressure of CO2 in the inhaled gas to that of mixed venous blood (PvCO2), the less the effect on CO2 elimination. Fisher (WO98/41266) expressed the relationship of alveolar ventilation, minute ventilation (V) and PCO2 of rebreathed gas as follows:
VA=FGF+(Vxe2x88x92FGF)(PvCO2xe2x80x94PCO2 of exhaled gas)/PvCO2 
(Where FGF stands for the fresh gas flow, and other terms as described previously)
It is clear from this equation that as the PCO2 of the exhaled gas approaches that of the mixed venous blood, the alveolar ventilation is determined only by the fresh gas flow and not the minute ventilation.
As one exhales, the first gas to exit the mouth comes from the trachea where little gas exchange has occurred. The PCO2 of this gas is close to that of the inhaled gas and is termed xe2x80x9cdead space gasxe2x80x9d. The last gas to exit the mouth has had the most time to equilibrate with mixed venous blood, has a PCO2 closest to that of mixed venous blood and is termed xe2x80x9calveolar gasxe2x80x9d. Gas exhaled between these two periods has a PCO2 intermediate between the two concentrations. The equation cited above explains why rebreathing alveolar gas would be the most effective in maintaining the PCO2 at a constant level when minute ventilation increases.
Accordingly, in the circuit of the present invention:
1. All of the fresh gas is inhaled by the subject when minute ventilation is equal to or exceeds fresh gas flow;
2. The xe2x80x9calveolar gasxe2x80x9d is preferentially rebreathed when minute ventilation exceeds the fresh gas flow;
3. When minute ventilation is equal to or greater than fresh gas flow, all the fresh gas contributes to alveolar ventilation.